Del Mar summer meet | Horse Racing Free Tips

Major Purse Increases for Del Mar’s Summer Meet

With purses to exceed $700,000 per day and “Ship and Win” incentives to double, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is substantially increasing all overnight purses and offering record incentives for its upcoming Summer Meet, which opens Saturday, July 17, and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 6. Among the increases for overnights from last year, maiden special weight races will jump from $55,000 to $70,000, with a number of maiden claiming and open claiming purses also increasing. In addition, purse levels will be raised for several summer stakes races with the stakes schedule to be released in the coming weeks.

Average daily overnight purses for the 2021 season will be increased by over 30% as compared to 2019 levels. Del Mar's total handle for 2020 was above initial projections–despite a unique year due to the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed no spectators on site–which added funding to the purse increases for 2021.

Owners and trainers that ship out-of-state horses to race at Del Mar through the “Ship and Win” program will see significant boosts as well, with the participation fee for owners doubling from $2,000 to $4,000 and a purse bonus from 20% to 40% for all eligible races. The purse bonus will be upped to 50% for dirt races in the “Ship and Win” program. For example, a maiden special weight race on the main track this summer will carry a purse of $105,000 ($70,000 with a 50% bonus), plus a $4,000 starter bonus for out-of-state horses that qualify.

“We've got some real momentum in California as we prepare for the 2021 season and, based on the inquiries we're receiving, owners and trainers are taking notice,” said Del Mar's executive vice president for racing, Tom Robbins. “Our partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners of California [TOC], TVG, and The Stronach Group [TSG] has us on track for one of the most lucrative seasons in Del Mar history, which will be a boost for California racing and help set the stage for us to host the Breeders' Cup here again in November.”

The 2021 purse enhancements are partly due to a partnership with TOC, FanDuel Group's TVG, and TSG's 1/ST Racing. The agreement is expected to inject up to $15 million into California Thoroughbred purses and programs over the next two years.

Del Mar will offer a 31-day summer racing season this year. It will open with Saturday and Sunday cards (July 17-18), then switch to a Thursday through Sunday schedule. Keeping with tradition, the 2021 summer season will close on Labor Day.

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Del Mar Wraps Up with Handle Increase; Prat Edges Rispoli for Jockey Title

During these unprecedented times of global pandemic and spectator-free stands, the 81st Del Mar summer meet wrapped up Monday with a gripping battle to the wire between Flavien Prat and Umberto Rispoli for leading jockey honors. They were tied at 49 races apiece going into the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity, with Prat winning on Dr. Schivel (Violence) and Rispoli finishing fourth on Scooby (Fast Anna). It was the penultimate race of the meet and left Prat alone atop the rider standings with 50 wins and $2,968,918 in earnings. It marked the fourth leading jockey title at Del Mar for Prat in the last five years, who won 15 black-type events during the meet.

Trainer Peter Miller was a runaway winner of the trainer title, notching 28 wins and $1,498,472 in earnings. It was his fourth leading training title of Del Mar’s summer meet. Conditioner Phil D’Amato came in second with 20 wins. Leading owner honors went to both Reddam Racing and Hronis Racing with the former having higher earnings–$452,180–and the latter having more wins with seven.

Del Mar closed out the summer meet with an 8% increase in total wagering compared to last year, in spite of having 27 racing days in 2020 compared to the 36 days of 2019. Total wagering was $466.68 million, an increase of $34.71 million compared to the $431.98 million of 2019. Average daily handle was $17.28 million, an increase of 44% from 2019 when fans were allowed. Online wagering increased by 125% in the state of California, with out-of-state wagering growing by 65%. Del Mar was a first-time host of California’s wagering for the GI Kentucky Derby with the seaside track handing $24.8 million on the day, the fourth-highest wagering day in Del Mar’s history.

In addition, Del Mar field size increased from 8.0 runners per race last year to 8.4 runners per race this year.

“Given the extraordinary circumstances, we are very pleased with our results,” said Joe Harper, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s CEO. “The racing product was first-rate and players around the country responded in kind. It is especially gratifying that we were able to achieve positive business results while maintaining our commitment to the health and safety of our workforce and our neighbors despite the obvious challenges.”

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Del Mar Outlines Safety Guidelines for 2020 Summer Meet

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) has implemented a new set of protocols and procedures to ensure human safety at its seaside Thoroughbred headquarters in advance of its 81st racing season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the track will race without fans in 2020. Working in conjunction with health and medical experts in the county and state, Del Mar has put together a human safety program which will be in effect at the 340-acre racetrack during the 28-day season, running from July 10 to Sept. 7.

Among the daily measures that will be implemented this summer:

Admittance to the facility will be strictly limited to essential personnel
Daily on-site health screening for all personnel, which include temperature checks
All personnel will be required to wear face coverings
Some staff–such as jockeys and the starting gate crew– will be required to wear additional personal protective equipment
Proper social distancing will be required
Additional handwashing and sanitizer stations throughout the Grandstand and stable area
Enhanced janitorial services including daily disinfectant of all “common areas”
No congregation of people will be permitted in the saddling/paddock area
Saddling/paddock area and starting gate will be disinfected after each race
On-site medical personnel
Quarantine area procedures

Additionally, access to the Del Mar stable area will be limited to those licensed individuals who work directly with the horses. Stable area personnel will be subject to the same mask/ wristbands/distance rules all frontside individuals will work under.

For a complete rundown on Del Mar’s safety protocols and procedures for the 2020 meeting, click here.

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Collmus to ‘Pinch Hit’ at Del Mar This Summer

Larry Collmus, the voice of the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup on NBC, will become the announcer at Del Mar this summer when he steps in on a “pinch hitting” assignment for the track’s regular caller, Trevor Denman. Stemming from health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Denman, who has been Del Mar’s announcer for 36 years, recently informed Del Mar officials that he and his wife, Robin, would remain at their Minnesota farm this summer.

“When Trevor told us of his situation, we naturally had to respect what he was feeling,” said Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s president and COO. “We immediately worked up a short list of possible replacements and Larry was the man we zeroed in on. Happily, he said he was available and would be delighted to call our meet. We’re very pleased to be able to have him be the guy in our booth when we’re off and running on July 10.”

Collmus, 53, has manned the mic at various racetracks including Golden Gate Fields, all three NYRA tracks, Gulfstream Park, Churchill Downs and Monmouth Park. Prior to this summer’s stint, Collmus also called the Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar in 2017.

Denman, who has called every race at Del Mar since taking over for the late Harry Henson in 1984, will return to the seaside track for its fall season scheduled from Oct. 31 to Nov. 29.

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